1. Field of Invention
This invention is a building construction connective hardware designed to be connected to the mud sill to install the starter row of OSB, plywood or similar wall sheathing; to be connected to the bottom of the wall sheathing to install the starter row of siding and wood siding products; or to be connected to the roof rafter tail-ends to install the starter row of roof sheathing on a structure.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Currently, the installation of sheathing and siding to buildings is done without the aid of fasteners, other than nails, in a non-uniform, labor intensive process. Common practice is for each sheet of sheathing to be fitted by hand and nailed onto the structure. For example, one person holds the sheet of OSB or plywood in place as another person checks to make sure it is level and plumb and nails the sheathing to the framing. A team of installers might use a nail at the joint between the mud sill and the foundation wall as a temporary holder for the sheet materials, which makes the sheathing level with the mud sill; however, to get a better weather seal the sheathing should hang below the mud sill approximately 1″, which requires a person(s) to hold it in place by either eyeballing the fit or following a chalk line. As the wall is sheathed in this manner, one end of the wall may be off its mark by as little as a 1/16″ or more inches, forcing the reinstallation of the sheathing. The sheathing and siding hangers will do away with this inaccuracy, by creating a solid and level resting mount, at an ideal, approximately 1″ drop below the mudsill for proper weather sealing. Once set on the hanger, the sheathing can be nailed on as usual. It is envisioned that two or more hangers will be needed to hang one sheet or piece of material, depending on its size or orientation and the discretion of the installer.
Good building practice is to hang the wall sheathing at least 1″ below the mud sill and off the ground by at least 6″, depending on the material being installed, to help create a proper weather seal. There is no conclusive method to check for this application in the field, because once the sheathing is installed, the mud sill is covered. By introducing a piece of hardware that affixes to the foundation and mud sill in such a way that it creates an approximately 1″ tall, flat resting mount for hanging the material, the installer, inspector or building owner can easily make a visual inspection of the presence of this sheathing or siding hanger and recognize it by name or model number. It may even be identified as an element on architectural or engineering plans.
The invention provides ergonomic and safety benefits to the laborers in the field, who are installing heavy OSB or plywood wall sheathing or wood siding products that come in large sheets or difficult to handle planks, to a building structure at points low to the ground or else high off the ground. In addition, use of the invention eliminates the need for an installer to be on his hands and knees marking the foundation with a measuring tape and pencil or chalk, the full length of the building, to determine the placement of the bottom edge of the sheathing or siding. In addition, the invention, once connected to the mud sill with nails or screws, will bear the weight of the material being installed and hold the material up against the building, so that the laborer is relieved from having to hold and apply pressure to the material in awkward positions, while also trying to nail the material properly on the structure.
The invention can be attached to the bottom edge of installed OSB, plywood or similar type wall sheathing to hang the starter row of wood siding products such as cedar or redwood planks.
The sheathing hangers can also be used at the edge of the roofline. The hangers would attach to the rafter tail-ends, creating a solid mount for resting the roof sheathing starter row, where it can then be nailed on and connected to the remaining roof. Current practice is to hold the sheathing in place by hand at the edge of the roof, which is awkward and labor intensive.
The installation of OSB or plywood to the roof, as currently practiced, is unstable and dangerous. The laborer has to carry the plywood or OSB up a ladder and try to set the material on the roof rafters or trusses in the proper position at the roof's edge, by hand. He is typically standing on a ladder or scaffolding, or else is trying to balance on top of the roof, working downward, to position and hold the sheathing material in place, by hand, so that the edges of the plywood or similar material are lined up evenly. By connecting the new invention to the top of each roof rafter tail-end or truss tip, a stop edge is created that will not only hold the plywood sheathing in place evenly around the perimeter of the roof, but will help keep loose material from sliding off the roof and injuring people or property below. With the plywood or OSB aligned and sitting in the resting mount of the invention, the plywood can be easily nailed in place on the roof, with highly reduced risk of material slippage and far less strain and risk to the installer.
At this time, I am not aware of any prior connective hardware on the market that is specifically designed and constructed for holding and supporting the starter row of wall sheathing and various types of siding at the mud sill and foundation, and the starter row of roof sheathing at the rafter tail-ends.